Automatic railway switch stand



Sept. 25, 19,23. 1',4i68,97' J. J. DlLLQN AUTOMAMG RAILWAY swITcH STAND Filed DEQ. 4. 1922 ZSheetS-Sheet l JuHMTD/VLLN I 4 EYJ ym,

sept. 25,1923. www? .1. J. DILLON AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH STAND Filed Dec. 4, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rasata sept. as, reas.

iis-irren stares @Parser series.

AUTOMATIC .RAILWAY SWITCH STAND.

Appiicanon filed December 4, 192e. semaine. 604,961. Y

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOI-1N JAMES DILLON, asubject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident ofthe city of Sault Ste. Marie, -in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in automatic RailwayV Switch Stands, of which the following is a `from ruiming throughv the switches.

Further objects still are to provide a simple and effective means for adjusting the throw of the switch in order to keep the switch points at all times tight to the rail stock.

F iirther objects still are to provide simple and effective means for Vautomatically locking the handle vin down'position each time the switch is operated.

Figure 3.

Still further objects are generally to iniprove and Asimplify the construction of the device to better adapt it to perform the functions required of it.

And it consists essentially of the improvedV construction hereinafter described in detail in the accompanying specifications anddrawings. Y

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an embodiment of the invention. l

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation.

Figure 1 iis a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 3. i

Figure 6-is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings: t

l A indicates the. base casting constituting a casing and framework in which the mechanism works. B is the main shaft eX- tending vertically through the casing having at its lower end the eye bolt or cranklll, connected by suitable mechanism tothe switch` point in. the usual way. C indicates theoperating handle' which is pivotally mounted in Vthe rotatable head D, whichl latter is mounted withlimited freedom of rotation oiithe table E and is formed with a recessedr portion 12 in which the end of the handle C is pivoted.

To lock the handle in its down position, I

provide a pivoted stop dog 13 mounted on a pin 14; which, V on the outside ofthe head, is lconnected to a weighted handle 15 which is so positioned that it tends to hold` the dog 13 -in locking position. i 't will vbe seen that the dog 13 is formed with two stopV lugs 16 and 17, the lug 17 abutting the side of the recessedportion 12, while the lug 16 in normal position isa-dapted to projectin front of the/.end 18 of the lever C and thus prevent raising of the lever; Vhen the handle 15,- however, is swung over, the operating handle C'will be clear of the dog 13.

The head D yis mounted in its proper ver-l ticalpositionvin ordinary circumstances by 'means of a nut 19k Ona threaded portion 2O of the shaft B, the ynut being protected from the .weather `by a sealing-.member .or cup 21 mounted Ona reduced and squared portion 22 of the shaft B and held in "position by a suitable'split pin 23. The head D isnot directly connected to the shaft'B but is con-v nected thereto through spring clutch ineclianism presently to be described.`

' This spring clutch mechanism includes an upper slip member F and a Vlower slip member G having interlocking faces or teeth 2iV and 25, the faces or teeth being so shaped that, under excessive pressure, the members F and G may "slippast each other while the memberV G isrforced longitudinally downwardly.. This forcing is resisted' by means of a strong coil spring 26 which entends from the bottom of the slip member G to a washer 27 mounted' above a two-part col lari-.

This collar H is formed with a threaded y lower portion 2S and a squared upper portion 29 which have a bent joint with each Y other, the collar itselfv resting on the bottom plate 30 of the casing, The head D is connected to tne member F by means which are released upon vertical movement of the head; these means comprising a ratchetshaped extension 3l which tits a correspondingly shaped socket 32 on the head F, thereby constituting a clutch connection between the two.

In operation, when the handle C is swung7 he head l) turns and with it the upper slip sting The latter operates and turns the r slip casting G, which turns the'main :nait by reason of the main shaft being` 'formed with a squared portion 33 where it asses through the lower slip casting G,the aid casting being; provided with a corre- -ipondingly shaped hole 531i, while the hole the upper casting' through which the hatt I5 extends is round. rIhe turning of Vhe main shaft turns the crank l1, and there-- y moves the switch-point in the usual way` -Where from emergency the sWtch is run through without turning` ol' the handle and i j, the ilfollowing occurs The crank Vll a bottoni o the slla'lft B is forced to turn by the cars running` through and forcing the switch-point; the turning of this crank turns themain shaft B 'from top to bottomtogether with the lower slip casting G, the upper slip casting' remaining stationary, and the coil spring 26 being forced down allor-.fertile joint between the upper and lower slip castings to work and to turn the necessary one quarter of a circle.

This forcing of the switch operation renders it inoperative until proper adjustments are made, because the head D and the upper slip casting F are connected by the clutch joint, already described, and, furthermore, th head D is so arranged that it may only tnrn one quarter or" a revolution, this'being accomplished by providing a stop lug 36 on the h Vad which is limited in its movement by pins 37 and 38 on the table E (see Fig. 2).

lhe adjustment to render the switch operative again Vinvolves the raising ot the ado' nut it? suliiciently to allow the clutch the head I) and the upper slip castbrolcn; in other words, to permit reconnected, the nut being then screwed down and the adjustment completed.

The means which I provide Jfor adjustment ot the switch-points comprises a bolt el Y cause slight adjustment in the position of the main shaft and of the switch points.

-is many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely dilierent embodiments orn my invention within the scope oi' the claims, constructed without departing `lrom the spirit or scope thereof, it intended that all matter contained in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a lin'iiting sense.

Vilhat I claim as my invention is: Y

l. An automatic switch stand of the character described comprising a casing, a main moerating shaft extending vertically in the casing, a top plate, a head rotatably mounted on the top plate, a handle connected to the head, a pair of slip clutch members havinginterlocking teeth, clutch connection between one ot the clutch members and the head, a non-rotatable connection between the other clutch member and the shaft, spring means for holding,` the clutch members in engagement with eachother, said spring connection includinga spiral spring,l and a 'collar surroundingl the shaft and bearing on one side against the spring and on the other side against the casing, and a nut on the shaft bearing against the head member.

f2. In a switch stand of' the character described, a casing, spaced lugs on the casing, a top plate having a lug extending between the said spaced lugs, adjusting means extending between the said lugs whereby the position of the plate may be adjusted with respect to that of the casing, an operating head on the plate, a main shaft connected operatively to the head, and an operating handle yonV the head.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ot' two witnesses.

.IHN JAMES l'l'lLLON. 

